Improvement in furnaces for treating cast-iron to convert the same into iron and steel



N.PETERS. FHOTO-LWMOGRAFNER WASHINGTON D c UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

VILLIAM FIELDS, OF WILMINGTON, DELACWARE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FURNACES FOR TREATING CAST-IRON T0 CONVERT THE SAME INTO IRON AND STEEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 103,437, dated May 24, 1870.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FIELDS, of the city of Wilmington, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have invented a new' and Improved Reverberatin g Furnace; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation ofthe saine, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front elevationand Fig. 2 a vertical central section.

.Nature and Objects ofthe Invention.

My invention consists of a furnace, to be Aused as an adjunct to a cupola or blast furnace, for treating crude iron as it is run from the cupola as melted castiron, or from the blastfurnace as it is reducedV directly from the pigiron, for the purpose of purifying the same and converting it into wrought-iron or steel by my process of rening crude iron and converting it into steel.

This furnace is a reverberatory one, constructed of any convenient dimensions or form, into which the molten iron may be run by suitable troughs or conductors, using a special fire-chamber attached to the furnace with blast, for the purpose of preserving the necessary degree of heat, or by the use of the gases conveyed from the tunnel-head of the blast-furnace by suitable vconduits constructed for that purpose, which gases are to be ignited by atmospheric air introduced at the point where the current of gas enters the furnace.

This furnace is to be constructed with any convenient number of rabble or work holes (doors) for the purpose of thoroughly stirring the molten iron and completely working into it the chemicals used.

The crown or roof of this furnace consists of an inverted arch, fastened and sustained by vertical and transverse rods or other suitable devices.

General Description.

a is the body of the furnace. b is the crown or roof. c c are the pipes for conveying the gases to be ignited for maintaining the heat. (l is the stack of the furnace. e is the valve to shut oft' the heat and gas from the main furnace or cupola. fis the valve which shuts off the gas from the stack when it is needed in the furnace. g is the tap-hole for running orf the metal. h is the opening for running the metal into the furnace from the cupola or blastfurnace. i are the doors for stirring the metal; and 7c is the blast-pipe.

What I claim as my invention is l. The employment of the pipes, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The inverted crown or roof, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. The combination of the pipes, valves, and doors with the inverted arched crown, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The use or employment of the furnace, as hereinabove described, for the purpose of manufacturing iron, ordinary steel, and caststeel from the ore or pig-iron.

WILLIAM FIELDS.

TVitnesses LEVI G. BooKns, OHAnLns A. WIefefINs.` 

